Becker's Clinical Quality & Infection Control

20 PATIENT SAFETY & OUTCOMES 3 in 5 Americans worry for the safety of loved ones in hospitals, survey says By Georgina Gonzalez A lmost 60 percent of Americans are concerned for the safety and security of their loved ones in hospitals, afraid of the harm someone else may inflict upon them, accord- ing to a March 7 report from Global Healthcare Exchange, a healthcare automation company. The survey asked more than 2,000 Americans about their views on the safety and security of healthcare workers and healthcare facilities. Here is what the company found: 1. Sixty-six percent of respondents said they believe healthcare workers are more likely to be victims of workplace violence than other professions. 2. Almost 90 percent of respondents believe keeping track of every hospital visitor is essential to safety. 3. More than 60 percent of people are worried about unautho- rized people walking the halls of the hospital. 4. Two in five respondents do not feel safe entering a hospital facility. 5. Eighty-two percent of people think there should be more action taken at a state and federal level to protect the safety of healthcare workers. "We know violence is a contributing factor to nurses leaving the profession and rising levels of burnout which ultimately has a negative effect on patient care," said Chrystie Leonard, gen- eral manager of GHX Vendormate. "More than ever, it's vital for hospital leadership to create a safer, more secure environment for staff, patients and visitors and support policies that adopt a zero-tolerance approach to workplace violence." n Why 'park prescriptions' are gaining popularity By Mackenzie Bean P hysicians are increasingly prescribing a free, effec- tive therapy for patients with various conditions: more time in nature, Time reported April 27. The so-called "park prescriptions" have gained traction over the last decade alongside research into the phys- ical and mental health benefits of spending more time outdoors. For example, the University of California San Francisco Benioff Children's Hospital Oakland invites pe- diatric patients with conditions such as anxiety, autism or obesity to participate in monthly park excursions through its Center for Nature and Health. "It's pretty clear that it's good for you," Nooshin Razani, MD, a pediatrician at the hospital and founder of the program, told Time. Spending time in nature can improve mental health and lower the risk of physical conditions, such as heart dis- ease, studies suggest. However, researchers are still trying to understand why nature has such a healing effect. One theory is that spending time outdoors lowers stress, which can contribute to various health issues. n Inflammation, not coronavirus, may be behind loss of smell: Johns Hopkins By Mackenzie Bean L oss of smell from COVID-19 may be a consequence of inflammation caused by the infection, versus a direct outcome from the virus itself, according to a study published April 11 in JAMA Neurology. A team led by researchers at Baltimore-based Johns Hopkins Medicine analyzed brain tissue samples taken from the olfactory bulb of 23 people who died of COVID-19 and 14 who died of other causes. ree of the 23 people with COVID-19 lost their sense of smell, four lost some ability to smell and two lost both their sense of smell and taste. People with COVID-19 had more severe vascular injury and fewer axons in the olfactory bulb, the part of the brain respon- sible for transmitting neural input about odors. is trend was consistent even aer researchers controlled for age. While researchers found more nerve and vascular damage among people with COVID-19, most of their tissue samples did not contain SARS-CoV-2 virus particles. "Previous investigations that only relied on routine pathological examinations of tissue — and not the in-depth and ultrafine analyses we conducted — surmised that viral infection of the olfactory neurons and olfactory bulb might play a role in loss of smell associated with COVID-19," lead author Cheng-Ying Ho, MD, PhD, associate professor of pathology at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, said in a news release. "But our findings suggest that SARS-CoV-2 infection of the olfactory epithelium leads to inflammation, which in turn, damages the neurons, reduces the numbers of axons available to send signals to the brain and results in the olfactory bulb becoming dysfunctional." n

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